Foot-rest for automobile-accelerators.



. G. W. BOYNTON.

FOOT REST FOR AUTOMOBILE ACCELERATGRS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 23. 1911.

1,229,023, Patented June 5, 1917.

1 ii I \S George W.Bo nT on GEORGE W. BOYN'I'ON, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FOOT-REST IllCbR AUTOMOBILE ACCELERATORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1917.

Application filed January 23, 1917. Serial No. 144 038.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WV. BOYNTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Foot-Rests for Automobile-Accelerators, of which the following description, in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to a foot rest for supporting the foot of the person operating an automobile while he is controlling the accelerator, and has for its object to provide a novel device of this type which will firmly support the foot. from the heel to the ball of the foot and will securely hold the foot in the proper position, but at the same time will permit the operatorto freely .lllOVB his foot as necessary to actuate the accelerator.

In order to give an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated in the drawings a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described, after which the novel features will be pointedout in the appended claim.

Figure 1 is a side view of an automobile equipped with my improved accelerator;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the foot rest detached;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33, Fig. 4;

Fig.- 4, is an end view of the foot rest detached i Fig. 5 is a top plan view thereof. I have shpwn at 1 an automobile which is provided with the usual accelerator pedal 2 that is designed to be operated by the toe of the driver. My improved foot rest comprises a base member 3 which is adapted to be secured to the floor boards 4 of the automobile, and a foot support 5 which is pivotally connected to the base 3 and is constructedto support the foot from the heel to the ball thereof. The base 3 is shown as provided with screw-receiving apertures (i by which it may be secured to the flooret, and it is provided with the upwardlyextending ears 7 to which the foot rest is pivoted. The foot rest 5 is shaped to present a heel portion 8 and a forward extension 9 which is of suflicient length to extend to the ball of the foot, the extension 9 preferably being widened somewhat at its extremity, as shown at 10, to give better support to the foot. shown as provided with two depending arms 11 which are pivoted to the ears 7 by means of a pivotpin 12. These arms 11 are situated toward the rear or heel end of the foot rest and are preferably inclined backwardly slightly so 'that the pivotal point comes under the heel. The heel portion of the foot support is provided with means for securely holding the heel in position thereon and is also constructed so that it will accommodate feet of diiferent sizes.

Said heel portion 8 has rising therefrom a curb or heel-positioning wall 13 which extends around the side and rear of the heel portion and which is adapted to embrace the heel of the operators foot. This heel por tion is also provided with the curved shoulders 14 and 15 that are situated at different distances from the rear end of the heel,

' these curved shoulders constituting means for holding in proper position the heel of the operator when placed thereagainst. The device is designed to be secured to the floor of the automobile in such a position that the accelerator 2 will come directly in front of and adjacent to the front end 10 of. the foot support. When, therefore, the operator places his foot upon the foot rest, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the toe portion of the foot which extends beyond the extension 9 will be in position to engage the accelerator. Owing to the construction above described, the pivotal point about which the foot rest rocks is beneath in the position determined by the shoulderv 15, while a person with a medium-sized foot would place his heel against the shoulder 14. The device, therefore, will accommodate diflerent sizes of feet equally well.

One of the advantages of the device is that it gives support to the foot from the heel to the ball thereof, and thus makesit The foot support 5 ismuch more easier for the operator to con-' trol the aCCQlEIQItIOI' than when the foot is supported at the heel only,

I'claim: Y

In a foot rest for automobile accelerators, the combination with 'a base piece constructed to be secured to the floor boards of an automobile, of a foot-supporting IneInber pivoted to the base andhuving a shape to support the foot from the heel to the ball thereof, the heel portion of saidsupport having end and side walls .to hold the heel in position and also having two heelpositioning shoulders situated at different distances from said end Wall.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

' GEORGE \V. BOYNTON. 

